Our theme this month is abundance and there are plenty of ways to use this theme to grow with your family and develop spiritually. This theme is particularly timely as we prepare for winter, harvest the last of the crops, and celebrate Thanksgiving. How can we remember that there is abundance and extra to share when we are moving into a time of scarcity?

When I hear the word abundance, I automatically think of gratitude. It is easy to take abundance for granted and gratitude is a helpful way to remember and appreciate. There is more and more research that shows that being consciously grateful leads to greater happiness. At meals (perhaps one special meal a week or every night), go around the table to share something you are grateful for. Write or draw things that you are grateful for on slips of colorful paper. Hang the slips on a tree in your yard, a branch in a vase, or tuck them into a special box for safe keeping. These can be helpful reminders on a gloomy day.

Another way to remember our abundance is through service and giving back to our communities. On November 4, RE families are invited to help out with the bike path clean up that Gail Gaustad organizes every month (spring through fall). The Food Bank of Western Mass has monthly volunteer days that are open to people of all ages. Join us on November 17 for educational and hands on opportunities. Or perhaps this month your family makes a meal for another family, invites a special guest to dinner, or helps a neighbor rake leaves.

What Guides Us

We affirm and welcome people of all races, genders, and sexual orientations. We are bound together by our respect for each other, passion for justice, commitment to the principles of Unitarian Universalism, and the call to create a community together. Please join us on Sunday mornings for a communal worship service that we hope will inspire you and touch your heart, and explore how you can become involved.

Our Mission

The Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence is an inclusive and welcoming intergenerational congregation of diverse spiritual beliefs and practices. Our mission is to build a caring community where children and adults can safely learn and grow, where we are supported and challenged on life's journeys, called to service and to our higher selves, and inspired to better our world.